Your blogs are very inspiring! Thanks for writing them. I am already starting the card memorization. I had tried that a few years ago after reading Joshua Foer’s book and was at 45 minutes. And, then I gave up thinking it was too much effort. And then, I see your blog! Now, the project is back on.

I am a chess player and a software engineer, and have written chess programs. USCF rating is 1881.

Your approach is perhaps more suited for endgames. Let us consider Rook endgames with four pawn vs three pawns. That is a total of 11 pieces.

Also, we don’t need to memorize all positions, merely the critical ones. The critical positions are defined as those that are winning with one side to move and drawing or losing with the other side to move. These could be identified through programming.

These critical positions serve as lighthouse in the real game, where the position is similar but not same. Then, you evaluate the differences between the critical position and game position, and compute how those differences affect the position. Considering that only you have the knowledge and the opponent does not, means you have a great advantage.

Then, you need to play an opening that has the highest chance to transform into a Rook endgame. You could repeatedly try the same opening hundreds of times against the Carlsen App to get into a favorable Rook Endgame. And then use your mastery.

You may yet win this challenge!

Best of luck!

Regards,

Srikanth.

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